A look at a couple of recent political pieces that address topics we've discussed before ...

Gerrymandering side effects¿

Politico recently had an interesting piece that suggested a growing number of Republican strategists and candidates are concerned that GOP's deftness at gerrymandering congressional districts in its favor may be backfiring.

The piece -- "GOP could pay price for gerrymandering" -- basically makes the case that, when districts are drawn essentially guarantee the election of a Republican, the Republican who is furthest to the right often wins.

(It works the same way when districts are drawn for lefties. I've long noted that this is why, in Florida, moderates rarely make their way to Washington - and we end up with representatives only on the extremes.)

But since Republicans in state legislatures have been better at this, the result, the piece says, has been "pushing House Republicans further to the right — narrowing the party’s appeal at a time when some GOP leaders say its future rests on the opposite happening. "

Not only that, a number of Republicans (and privately concerned Democrats) share the belief that, Charlie Crist would energize -- not Democrats, but Republicans, who are still steaming about his turn-coat ways -- in a way ¿that could seriouly background.

As one pundit told the Times: “Charlie Crist can do what Rick Scott cannot: Get Republicans energized about supporting Rick Scott.”